Fried Pork Chops

There’s an art to making Southern Fried Pork Chops, and I’m gonna teach you how to do it right. This recipe starts by perfectly tenderizing the chops in a spicy buttermilk liquid before dredging in a flavorful flour batter and pan frying til golden brown, crisp and dang on delish. Once you try this fried pork chops recipe, you will know why the South regards this comfort food with so much respect.

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When your mama is from Mississippi, you know a thing or two about fried pork chops. You grow up eating quite a few a week because its just the Southern way. And you learn how to fry them up right. This recipe is an ode to my mama’s teachings with a little Grandbaby Cakes flava!

Ingredients You’ll Need to Make Southern Fried Pork Chops

• Pork chops: Make sure you grab bone-in about an inch in thickness for these with some fat marbling peeking through. That bone is gonna retain juiciness while they fry as well as give you more flavor.
• Buttermilk: This liquid is gonna tenderize and add some delish tang to those chops.
• Hot sauce: You gotta add a kick boos! That spice ups the overall taste.
• Self-rising flour: The leavening creates a lighter yet still crispy coating when they are fried up.
• Seasoned salt: We gotta get these chops well-seasoned so this is the first step.
• Black pepper: This balances the salt with a mild bounce of heat.
• Ground garlic powder: This adds a savory depth of flavor to the flour mixture.
• Cayenne pepper: This provides more heat and is the perfect spicy compliment to the hot sauce.
• Paprika: Grab smoked paprika. It’s giving vibrant color and more flavor.
• Canola oil: We use these to fry the pork chops so we get that golden-brown and crispy crust.

How to Make Fried Pork Chops

Step 1: Let’s Season, Marinate and Prep Our Dry Ingredients

1. Start by seasoning the pork chops with salt and black pepper on both sides.
2. Next, let’s get into the wet ingredients. Whisk hot sauce into buttermilk and add the pork chops to the buttermilk. Let those babies soak for about an hour to flavor and tenderize.
3. Mix up the dry next. In a large zip top bag, add flour, salt, pepper, garlic powder, cayenne pepper, and paprika and mix until combined.

PRO TIP: Pat those pork chops down with paper towels before you start the recipe. This will make sure dredging ingredients will stick well.

PRO TIP: For easier clean up, I opted to use a large plastic bag to dredge the pork chops in seasoned flour. Alternatively, you could mix the seasoned flour into a large bowl and individually dip/coat each piece. 

Step 2: Dredge the Pork Chops and Set

1. Put pork chops into seasoned flour and coat really well. If you want super crispy, add back into buttermilk and then back into seasoned flour.
2. Place on a parchment lined baking sheet. Let the chops set for at least 20 minutes with the flour before frying.

Step 3: Fry Those Pork Chops and Drain

1. Heat oil over medium high heat of about 350 F.  
2. Fry until golden brown on both sides.  This can take about 3-4 minutes each side for thinner chops and up to 7 minutes per side for chops that are 1-inch thick.
3. Once fried, remove and add to wire rack with paper towel lined baking sheet to drain. Let them drain for at least 10 minutes before serving.

What to Serve with Buttermilk Fried Pork Chops

• This fried pork chops recipe is a cozy weeknight dinner just waiting to happen. Pair them with a bright summer salad, succotash, roasted vegetables or Baked mac and cheese for that extra dose of comfort.
• For a super down home Southern meal, pair with these Chitterlings. Also try these Collard Greens or Mustard Greens , Pinto Beans and some Hot Water Cornbread or Corn Muffins for a true down home meal.

Recipe Substitutions

• Pork Chops: While bone-in is my fave to use here, boneless works just fine. Just make sure you don’t overcook since they tend to be dryer.
• Flour: If ya ain’t got self-rising flour, all-purpose is just fine. You can also make your own self-rising too! For every cup of all-purpose flour needed, add 1 1/2 teaspoons of baking powder and 1/4 teaspoon of salt, whisk it up and use it up.
• Buttermilk: If you ran out of buttermilk, create this substitution. Add 2 tablespoons of vinegar or lemon juice to 2 cups of regular milk. Let it sit for about 5 minutes until it curdles and use it for the marinade.
• Spices: Kosher salt along with additional spices can replace seasoned salt. Regular paprika is just fine to use instead of smoked and you can replace the cayenne with a pinch of red pepper flakes.
• Oil: You just need a neutral oil here so vegetable oil, canola oil or even peanut oil will work. Just don’t use olive oil boos.

Recipe Variations and Additions

• Gluten Free: Replace the self-rising flour with a 1:1 ratio gluten-free flour alternative. The crust might change slightly but they will still be hittin.
• Smother Them Up: After you fry them, create a gravy and make bomb smothered pork chops.
• Stuff Them: Use the stuffing from my crab stuffed salmon and create a incredible remix on the classic. That’s some good eatin!
• Crunch It Up: You can make the crust even crunchier if you add some bread crumbs, panko or even crushed cornflakes to the dry ingredients.

Expert Tips and Tricks for Pan Fried Pork Chops

• Dry The Pork: Make sure you give those chops a nice pat down with paper towels before you start the recipe. This is going to ensure that the coating sticks well.
• Adjust As Needed: The spices in this recipe are like a guideline. You can adjust baed on your preferences so it tastes just how you like it.
• Let the Chops Chill: After you bread the pork chops, let them rest for about 20 minutes. This is going to let that crust build and stay put when you fry.
• Frying Heat: Make sure that frying oil is around 350° before you get to sizzling. If you put them in too early, the skin will be soggy. If the temperature is higher than 375°F, your crust could burn before your chops even cook on the inside.
• Don’t Overcrowd: Too many pork chops will give you an undercooked and greasy result, and we ain’t got time for that.
• Be Safe: Make sure your chops are cooked to an internal temperature of 145°F before you serve them up. Grab the meat thermometer to check.
• Drain: I like to add my fried pork chops to a wire rack over a paper towel lined baking sheet. This removes extra oil and allows the chops to rest and redistribute their juices. 

How to Store Breaded Fried Pork Chops

• Fridge: Make sure your Southern fried pork chops are cooled to room temp then wrap tightly in foil or plastic wrap or add to an air-tight container and pop in the fridge. They will last for up to 4 days.
• Freezer: You can store the same way but I prefer to add to a zip-top resealable bag releasing as much air as possible to prevent freezer burn. Label with the date stored and store up to 3 months. When ready to reheat, thaw in the fridge overnight.
• Reheating: You can either reheat in the oven or the air fryer. Preheat the oven to 350°F and bake up to 15 minutes until heated through. My preferred way is to use the air-fryer, The crust stays super crunchy that way.

Frequently Asked Questions

More Fried Recipes to Try

• Chicken Fried Steak
• Fried Chicken Gizzards
• Buttermilk Fried Chicken
• Fried Catfish
• Fried Pickles
• Fried Onion Rings